Outcasts Like Us
by Yondaime-samaKazaraYume
Summary: A short kid beaten by his adopted parents. A girl picked on mercilessly because she's overweight. A tough guy nobody likes. What could these three have in common? And what's REALLY sealed in the Millennium Puzzle? Slight AU, slight angst, will be YugiAnzu
1. Default Chapter

A thirteen-year old boy could be seen shuffling down a street without an umbrella as the rain poured down from the heavens in sheets. He seemed to take no notice of the dismal weather, and continued at the same pace, as if he had no desire to get to his destination. His spiky hair stuck up every which way, even when soaking wet, except for his golden bangs that clung limply to his forehead. Sad amethyst eyes watched the ground in front of him numbly, not caring to take in his surroundings. The boy's name was Yugi, but he was hardly ever called that. It was always "shrimp," "half-pint," or something similar. He was small for his age, and didn't seem as though he got enough to eat. He slipped in a puddle suddenly and his feet flew out from under him, landing him on his face

'_Aw, man...'_ he thought glumly as he raised himself to his hands and knees. _'Now okaa-sama will never let me come in the front...'_ He was shocked out of is reverie when a hand was offered to him. Yugi looked up astonished at the person who would help him freely. The man, he looked like one, but Yugi couldn't tell, was wearing a black cloak that hid his face.

"Are you alright?" Yugi swallowed nervously and nodded, shaking slightly. The man was rather intimidating.

"That was quite a tumble you took, young one. What's your name?" Yugi mumbled something as he cautiously took the man's hand.

"I didn't catch that, young one." the kind man said as he helped the boy to his feet.

"... Yugi..." At this, the man stepped back immediately.

"Mutou Yugi!?" Yugi nodded shakily.

'_I knew it... he doesn't want to help me...'_ Yugi's train of thought was abruptly halted when the man fell on one knee and bowed before him.

"I never thought I would meet you here, Yugi-sama. Please forgive me for not recognizing you, my liege!!" Yugi blinked.

"_L-L-_Liege? What _d-d_-do you mean_ s-s-_sir? I'm _j-j-_just Yugi..." The man raised his head, or so it appeared.

"You don't know of your importance, Yugi-sama!?" Yugi shook his head vigorously.

"_I-_I'm nobody _s-s-_special, mister." The man grabbed Yugi's hands.

"You don't know! You really don't know!!" The man hurriedly let go of his hands and dug into a bag beneath his cloak, pulling out a tightly wrapped box, which he thrust into Yugi's hands.

"_Wh-Wh-_What are you giving me this for, _m-_mister?" Yugi looked up at the man with confusion clear in his eyes.

"Now is not the time for questions, Yugi-sama. Hurry, you must take that and run! You must solve the Millennium Puzzle, Yugi-sama! You must! It is impossibly vital that you do!! Run now, Yugi-sama. They still think I have it. Hurry, run! I shall provide a distraction for you!!" The man ignored Yugi's protests and ran away, leaving the thoroughly mystified boy behind.

'_Well, he said I should run...I wonder what he was talking about... And what's in this box?'_ Questions were filling the small boy's mind as he ran to the place he lived. He couldn't really call it a "home," but he didn't have anywhere else to go. His grandfather had raised him until he was five, but had to move away, out of the country. He had given Yugi to his nephew and niece-in-law, leaving them to look after the small boy. The first few months had been great. His new parents were very kind to him. His new mother was expecting a child soon, and Yugi couldn't wait to have a little sibling. Yugi's eyes closed in pain as he remembered that day...

_FLASHBACK_

_Five-year-old Yugi ran home with a huge grin on his face. Today was the day. He should have a new baby brother or sister. He ran inside the house, and his smile vanished. She was sitting at the table, sobbing inconsolably. His adopted father turned to look at him and Yugi paled. His father was glaring at him._

"_It's all your fault you brat!!"_

"_What do you mean otou-san? I just-"_

"_It's your fault he died!! You brought bad luck!!" His mother screamed, pointing her finger at him accusingly. Yugi blinked back tears._

"_But I didn't do anything!!"_

"_It's all your fault!! And now you're going to pay!!" His father roared as he advanced on the young boy._

END FLASHBACK 

Yugi shuddered. The beatings had begun that night, and it hadn't stopped in the eight years following. He had only been sent to the hospital once, his father was usually very careful not to leave any glaring evidence. Yugi had been thoroughly warned what would happen if he ever told anyone... he shuddered again at the thought.

'_I shouldn't be out here in the rain. I can't afford to get a cold...' _Yugi finally arrived at his house. He opened the front door a small crack and peeked inside. Nobody was home yet. He breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped inside and removed his soggy shoes and jacket. He ran upstairs to the hallway, and opened the trapdoor to the attic. Yugi climbed the ladder up into his bedroom. It was a good thing he was so short, or he would have had to bend over in the small space. He looked around at his meager things as he clicked the light on. He didn't have much, his parents made sure of that. A futon lay on the floor, while a small desk sat facing the tiny window. There was a small dresser to hold the few outfits he owned, and a small picture of his grandfather and him, taken when Yugi was three, sitting on his desk. Yugi hung his dripping clothes up to dry, and changed into some dry clothes. He sat down on his futon and placed the box in his lap.

'_I wonder what was so important inside here?'_ He unwrapped the box and gasped. It was gold. He was holding something worth more than anything he owned in his lap. He examined the sides of the box. They were covered in some form of hieroglyphic markings... Maybe it was Egyptian? He opened the box and his heart soared, a huge grin appearing on his face for the first time in almost a year. It was a puzzle! _There was a puzzle made of gold inside the box!!!_ Yugi almost jumped up and started dancing with joy. He loved puzzles! He had always been unbelievably quick in solving them, but he would keep solving them until he couldn't solve them any faster. Out of obligation, his parents got him a gift on his birthday. It was always a jigsaw puzzle, a cheap one, but a puzzle nonetheless. With trembling fingers he lifted a few pieces out of the box and examined them. They were unlike any puzzle pieces he had ever seen. He was in the middle of his happy little world when he heard something that made his blood run cold. His parents were home. They'd take it away! That man gave it to him! It was his, he said so! He panicked, and grabbed one of his old socks, dumped all of the pieces inside, and slid his futon aside. He quickly pulled up the loose floorboard he had discovered a while ago. He set the pieces down next to his journal, replaced the floorboard, and moved his futon back. And none too soon. The door to his room burst open, and his father's enraged, and more than slightly drunk, head appeared.

"Oi, runt? You up here!?"

"Ha-Ha-Hai, otou-s-s-sama!" Yugi gulped nervously.

"Time for your punishment, shon." his father drawled as he heaved himself up the ladder. Yugi's heart nearly stopped. His ribs hadn't recovered from his last beating yet.

"I-I-I g-got something f-f-for you, otou-sama!!" Yugi snatched the box and held it out to his father. His father's drunkenness and anger seemed to vanish.

"Where'd you get that!? Give it to me boy!!" Yugi quickly handed the box over.

"Gold..." his father whispered as he looked it over. He opened it, and glared at Yugi.

"It's empty. You didn't empty it, did you?" Yugi shook his head frantically.

"Iie!! It w-w-w-was like that, ot-t-t-ou-sama!! Honest it was!!" His father sighed.

"Fine. You're off the hook for now, shrimp. I'll bet I can sell this to a museum or something..." his voice trailed off as he walked down the stairs and the door slid shut behind him, locking for the night. Yugi breathed a huge sigh of relief and collapsed onto his bed.

'_I did it... it's safe...'_ He was a little sad about giving the box up, but it was a small price to pay for keeping those pieces safe. He took them back out, as well as his journal, and grabbed a pen from the desk. He started writing.

_Something really weird happened to me on the way home. Some man stopped me and gave me a puzzle made out of gold. I had to give the box to otou-sama, but it's okay as long as I have the puzzle. I wonder what it'll look like when it's done? I don't think it's like normal puzzles-_ Yugi's writing was interrupted when golden letters appeared beneath his own.

_This puzzle is no ordinary one. Solve it, and you will break my seal._ Yugi's head was spinning.

Seal of what? 

_I was sealed inside the Millennium Puzzle by those blinded by fear. I am the destroyer who listens only to the Pharaoh. He alone has the privilege of calling on my power. Any other who attempts to shall be destroyed. His alone is the voice that commands me to "Obliterate!" and I do so. If you break my seal, you will never know defeat._ Yugi's head was really working overtime now. He scribbled a response.

Who are you? 

_I am the one born in darkness. The destroyer. The forbidden one. Exodia._ The faint glow that had surrounded his journal vanished, leaving a thoroughly rattled Yugi to stare at it for a full five minutes. When he finally worked up the courage to touch the offending book again, he quickly closed it and hid it under the bed again. Breathing heavily, he decided to work on the puzzle instead of dwelling on the freaky incident that had just happened. He began fitting the pieces together, but soon ran into a wall. He'd never tried to solve a puzzle like this before... he was literally shaking with anticipation as he kept trying to piece it together. He was rudely interrupted when his door was pounded on.

"LIGHTS OUT RUNT!! BEDTIME!!" his father roared.

"H-H-Hai!!"

'_Oh well... I guess I should get to sleep since-'_ Realization hit him like a hammer between the eyes. He started middle school tomorrow!! He'd completely forgotten with his encounter with the strange man!! Yugi climbed into bed, his mind already worrying about what was going to happen on the first day at his new school. He wondered if the Puzzle had magical powers. It couldn't hurt, right? What did he have to lose?

"I wish I had some friends..." he whispered to whoever was listening. Finally his mind lost the battle to remain conscious, and he fell into a fitful slumber. Under the floorboard, the puzzle glowed softly.

* * *

Yugi snuck out of his room the next morning, and grabbed a quick breakfast. His stomach was full of butterflies, but he was too nervous too eat anything real big. He grabbed his things and left the house, locking the door behind him. After walking to school, he walked shakily into his first class. His morning classes were a blur, and he managed to function on autopilot. Once lunch rolled around, Yugi looked around the courtyard for an empty seat. He swallowed nervously as his eyes took in the lack of empty seats. Then he saw one, against the corner of the walls. He walked over, trying to ignore the stares and whispers.

"Can he _really_ be here? He's only ten!!"

"Ten? He's eight!! He's too short!"

"What's with that hair?" He smiled a small smile. After what his mother put him through, this was nothing. It was then that he noticed that his spot was taken.

* * *

Mazaki Anzu yawned and rubbed her eyes as she sat up in bed. It was morning already? She dragged herself out of the comforting warmth of her blankets and walked over to the mirror in her room. Clear, bright blue eyes looked back at her. Her dad had told her once that she had eyes a boy could get lost in. Her chocolate-brown hair reached past her chin. All in all, her family told her she was very pretty. There was just one problem...

'_I'm a blob...'_ Anzu thought with a grimace as she looked in the mirror. She was fairly heavy, and she knew it. She had tried every diet that she could, but they all had the same result. She would always gain back the weight she'd lost and almost half as much again. Over time, she'd given up dieting. She didn't like being fat, but there was nothing conceivable she could do to change it. After a short shower, she got dressed and walked down to the kitchen.

"Good morning angel!" her mother said cheerfully.

"Hi kaa-chan." Anzu couldn't help but smile despite her depressed mood. Her mom could cheer anyone up, with her bright disposition and cheerful enthusiasm. She was a doctor, and a good one too. She worked at the Domino City Central Hospital as a children's doctor. Her mother noticed Anzu's dismal mood.

"Worried about your first day, sweetie?" Anzu sighed as she sat down to eat.

"Yeah, I guess so... I hope the kids are nicer than my old school." Her mother smiled sadly as she dried her hands and walked over to her daughter, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Mazaki Anzu, you listen to me. You're a very pretty girl. If the nitwits at your school can't see the real you, then they're not worth your time."

"But kaa-chan-"

"No buts, young lady. You're not fat because you're lazy, you don't overeat, and you're in perfect health. Some people are just built differently. You're fine just the way you are." Tea smiled and blushed slightly at her mother's encouragement.

"Arigato, kaachan. Oh no!! I have to leave!" Anzu stood up and gathered up her things quickly, taking her bento from her mother after giving her a hug.

"I'll be home around six, sweetie! Have a good day!"

"Ja!" Anzu called as she walked down the steps and toward her school. Maybe her mom was right. Maybe this day wouldn't be so bad after all. Just maybe she could make some friends. As she walked into her first class, she looked around at the other students. They hadn't noticed her yet, so she just chose a desk and sat down.

* * *

Anzu blinked the tears from her eyes and sniffled as she sat down in the corner of the courtyard. She'd been teased for her weight before, but nothing like this. She'd lost count of how many times the other students had 'moooed' behind her back, how many times she'd been called "cow," "heifer," or "The Incredible Blob." Simply put, her first five classes had been hell... Except for that one boy. He was really short, and his spiky hair looked odd. He was the only one that was nice to her...

_FLASHBACK_

_Anzu's eyes stung with unshed tears as she walked to her fourth class. She was miserable, but was still hoping that maybe her next class might be better-_

_CRASH_

_Anzu rubbed her sore rear as she sat up._

"_Watch where you're going, cowgirl!!" A blonde girl said as she purposely kicked Anzu's bag across the hall, effectively scattering its contents. The other students laughed as they walked by, none offering to pick her things up. She glumly started picking them up herself when someone stopped walking, leaned over into a trash can, and pulled out a pencil case. _

"_You _d-d-_dropped this, _on-n-nee_-san." he almost whispered. She looked up at him, but not very far. His hair was black with a purplish tint, and stuck up wildly in back. His spiky golden bangs hung down into his violet eyes. He flushed when she looked at him, squeaked, and ran off down the hall._

_END FLASHBACK_

She smiled when she remembered her little helper.

'_My little guardian angel...'_ she thought with a smile.

"_E-E-_Excuse m-me, onee-san, _i-i-_is this seat _t-t-_taken?"

* * *

Jonouchi Katsuya walked away from his house, cursing under his breath. His dad was drunk off his rocker again.

'_No wonder kaa-san took Shizuka away from that worthless excuse for a human.'_ He mumbled any other obscenities he knew, which was quite a long list. He was your stereotypical tough guy. Nobody liked him, and he was fine with that. His mother had moved away after the divorce, when he was still young. She'd taken his little sister along with her, and now Jonouchi wished that she'd taken him too. He got into scraps every day. Heck, he had a reserved seat at his old elementary school, dubbed "Jonouchi's Throne," used only for those students who "couldn't quite get along." That meant pounding the living crap out of anyone who pissed him off, but that was fine with him. He earned a few strange looks as he walked into his first class. One taste of his 'look-at-me-wrong-and-I'll-rearrange-your-anatomy' glare and they were all looking anywhere else but at him. He slouched back in his desk and yawned. His old man had made him make a booze run last night. He idly wondered if it was a bad thing that the guy at the sake store knew him by name. The instructor walked into the room, and Jonouchi christened the start of the school year just like he had all the others.

'_Ah, screw it.'_

Jonouchi walked out into the courtyard to eat lunch, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He'd fallen asleep during the first ten minutes of class each period so far. Resignedly, he shuffled over to the corner of the courtyard where he saw a tubby girl sitting and sniffling under a tree.

"_E-E-_Excuse m-me, onee-san, _i-i-_is this seat _t-t-_taken?" Jonouchi nearly jumped out of his skin. Man, that boy was short. He was hardly noticeable, except for his impossibly loud hair. The kid was a waif, he barely had any meat on him.

"Iie, go ahead and have a seat." The little boy smiled shyly and sat down, acting worried.

"Arigato."

"I'm the one that should be saying that. For your help earlier, I mean."

'_Oh, what the hell?'_

"Mind if I join yas?"

* * *

"Mind if I join yas?" a tall, golden-brown haired boy said as he walked over. "Nowhere else ta sit." Yugi practically took off like a rocket, and Anzu looked at him, startled.

"S-Sure..." she replied.

"Thanks." Jonouchi plopped down on the other side of the smaller boy. The three of them ate in silence for a while.

"I'm Mazaki Anzu."

"Jonouchi Katsuya." he muttered.

"_M-M-M-_Mutou Yugi..." the boy practically whispered.

"Speak up, kid. Can hardly hear yas." Yugi looked down.

"That wasn't very nice!" Anzu scolded him. Jonouchi ignored her lecture.

"Why ya sittin' here by yourself, Mazaki? Dontcha have any friends?" She looked down sadly.

"Not here..." Yugi finally mustered the courage to look at the taller boy.

"I _w-w-_wish I ­_h-h-_had one..."

"What?"

"A _f-f-f-_friend." The other two looked at him with surprise.

"Ya don't have one, ki- Yugi?" Jonouchi reminded himself to use the boy's name.

"Iie... _I-_I don't really talk to new people..."

"Why not? You're nice. You helped me when nobody else would..." Anzu trailed off.

"Yer fat. So what? Not like it's your choice." Jonouchi commented as he chucked his apple core in the trash. Anzu's eyes widened.

"Hey cow! Move it! I'm sitting here now!" said a girl with blond hair as she sauntered up. Her boyfriend followed her, all brawn and no brains. Anzu's eyes fell, and she started to get up. Yugi stood.

"_L-L-_Leave Anzu-san alone!" he managed not to shake to violently, but his voice cracked on the last word, making his threat not quite so threatening. The boyfriend chuckled and stepped forward.

"What did you just say to my girl, small fry?" Yugi started shaking again, and his knees were like jelly. Wordlessly, Jonouchi got up and walked over.

"Yo, shrimp. Take the girl outta here." Yugi nodded, and ran back over to Anzu. They both walked away.

"Can I help you?" the musclehead asked Jonouchi.

"Actually, yeah, you can. Y'see, I've got a swell bad mood goin'..." Jonouchi drove his knee into the other boy's stomach, making him double over, followed by an elbow to the back of the head, which made him kiss the pavement with an audible _smack_, all of which took place in about two seconds. The girl started screaming bloody murder, and some teachers ran over quickly. Yugi and Anzu watched from the other side of the courtyard. Anzu put her hand on his shoulder.

"Let's check on him after school, ne?" Yugi nodded wordlessly, feeling a strange pain in his chest.

'_What's this feeling? Is this what it feels like to have friends...?'

* * *

_

Jonouchi walked out of the counselor's office with a sour expression on his face.

"Katsuya!" Anzu called as she walked up, Yugi following closely.

"Jonouchi. Call me Jonouchi. Only one person can call me by my first name." Anzu looked puzzled, but nodded.

"Okay then, _Jonouchi._ What happened in there?" He shrugged.

"Nothin' important. The old bat just talked my ear off about how I shouldn't flatten people into the ground. Don't see what's wrong with that..." Yugi took a deep breath. It was a huge risk, but he had to take it.

"Ano..."

"Nani, Yugi-kun?" Anzu asked, smiling at him.

"Will you two _b-b-_be my _f-f-f-_friends?" he murmured in a rush.

"What are ya, a moron?" Jonouchi asked. Tears blurred Yugi's vision. So they didn't. he should have known.

"Of course we're yer friends, short stuff! Don't talk nonsense. You two are the only ones who aren't afraid of me or hate me." the tough boy said. Anzu nodded.

"You two are nice to me, even when nobody else is. You even stuck up for me." Anzu hugged Yugi and Jonouchi. Yugi stiffened, unused to this kind of physical interaction. She didn't seem to notice, but Jonouchi did. Once out of the hug, Yugi smiled at both of them.

"I have to be going now. Okaa-sama's expecting me home!" he waved as he ran off. Anzu waved back, but Jonouchi wasn't so enthusiastic.

"Somethin's up with him."

"What do you mean!?" Anzu asked heatedly.

"He's too skinny. And somethin' else, you notice how he flinches every time someone touches him, like he's expectin' to be hurt?"

"You don't think his parents-" Anzu asked in disbelief.

"I wouldn't be surprised." he muttered darkly. He turned and walked away.

"See yas in second period."

"If you're awake then!!"

* * *

Three hearts, filled with the pain of loneliness, now have found kindred spirits. What does the future hold for them? And what of the entity called "Exodia?"

* * *

Okaa-sama/kaa-chan/kaa-san Mother, mom

Otou-sama/otou-san Father, dad

Iie No

Hai Yes

Ja Bye, later

Onee-san older sister

Ano Um, Uh

* * *

Hi guys!! This is my first Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic, so please be easy on me!! Tell me what you think. 


	2. Meet the Guardian

Ah, arigato gozaimasu for the warm reception! I have a fuzzy feeling inside! Not. Just kidding. Anyway, here's the next chapter. I didn't know what Anzu's mother's name is, so I'm calling her Mazaki Akemi.

Anzu walked into her third period slowly, her eyes trained on the ground.

'_Please don't let them notice me… Please don't let them notice me… Please don't let them notice me… Please don't let them notice me…'_

"Well, lookie here, it's miss heifer!!" No such luck. She didn't respond as she walked to her seat. She could hear Hayate following her. Hayate, mister popularity himself. Loved to pick on those inferior to him socially, which was almost everyone in the school. He was standing by her desk, just staring at her now, with his fan club of girls following suit. The next second, he was face first on the ground, getting quite personally acquainted with it.

"S'cuse me, but ya were in my way." Jonouchi said as he stepped over the boy's prone body and sat next to Anzu, in between them.

"You idiot!! Don't you know who I am!?" Hayate fumed as he picked himself up off of the ground.

"Nope. Haven't got a clue. Don't care, anyways. Yer an insensitive jerk, and yer lucky I didn't pound the stuffing outta yas." Jonouchi finished his speech with his patent glare, and Hayate scurried to the other side of the room where he sat in his desk.

"Arigato, Jonouchi…" Anzu whispered.

"C'mon, Anzu. Ya gotta stand up fer yourself once in a while. 'Sides, a good swift kick in the balls'd do him some good. Gotta remember that th' next time I'm bored…" he said with a sadistic smirk on his face. Anzu blinked as she took a closer look at his face.

"Jonouchi, why is your face bruised?" Jonouchi just grunted.

"My old man was in one hell of a drunken rage when I got home. 'Nuff said." Anzu nodded sadly, not really understanding, but not wanting to pry. If he wanted to say anything, he'd say it himself.

"So, you thought of a way ta get Yugi ta talk ta us about his home life?" Jonouchi asked as he got comfortable in his desk.

"Actually…" Anzu trailed off, remembering the last night.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FLASHBACK

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Anzu-chan, I'm home!" Anzu's mother Akemi opened the door._

"_I'm in the kitchen Okaa-chan!" Anzu called as she sliced up the food for their dinner._

"_Oh, you're cooking? Well, someone must have had a good day!" Anzu turned and smiled at her mother._

"_Not really… They all made fun of me again, like always…"_

"_Well, you seemed happy about something, out with it!" Akemi smacked her daughter's arm lightly. Anzu giggled in response._

"_I made a couple of friends. They're both really nice."_

"_Go on."_

"_Well, Jonouchi acts really gruff, but he's nice. He beat someone into the pavement for me! Yugi is really quiet, and he's very short." Anzu gestured to a little below her shoulders. Akemi's eyes saddened slightly as her daughter continued her tale._

"_He's got spiky… What's wrong, Okaa-chan?" she trailed off noting the look in her mother's eyes._

"_Mutou Yugi? Short kid, purple eyes, stutters a lot?" Akemi asked._

"_Ano, yeah, but how do you know Yugi?" Anzu looked at her mother questioningly._

"_He came into the intensive care unit a few years ago. Several of his ribs were broken, and he had a medium concussion. He only repeated one phrase when anyone asked him how he got hurt." Akemi clenched her fists as she spoke._

"_What did he say?"_

"'_I fell down the stairs.' That's all he would say. His parents supported the story, but…" Akemi slammed her fist on the counter, making Anzu jump. She'd never seen her mother like this before. She was so… _mad_. Her mother was always cheerful and upbeat, which made Anzu strive to be the same way. It upset her to see Akemi so angry._

"_But what?" she asked hesitantly._

"_You don't GET those kind of injuries from falling down stairs!! A concussion maybe, but how can you injure your _ribs_ rolling down some steps!! He should have had injuries on his neck and back! What's more, several of the bruises on his ribs were the shape of a human hand." Anzu gasped._

"_So it's true… his parents…"_

"_Yeah. At least his father. I'd say that… that… that miserable man beats the crap out of him fairly regularly." Anzu set the spatula down with trembling fingers._

"_Can't we help him, okaa-chan? There has to be something we can do…" Akemi turned around and looked at her daughter._

"_I have a plan, musume, but it might be risky."_ (1)

_END FLASHBACK_

"We have to try and get him to come over to my house after school. Uncle Hatori is going to be there." Jonouchi raised an eyebrow.

"Mazaki Hatori? Th' detective on th' police department?" Anzu nodded with a large happy smile on her face.

"You want us ta trick Yug? Anzu, that's pretty low. Th' kid's fragile, and I can tell yas that th' matter of his parents'll be even more sensitive." Anzu looked at the ground.

"I know it'll be hard on him, but… we have to do something to get him out of there." She whispered the last part.

"I didn't say it was a bad plan, Anzu. I just didn't expect ya ta go along with somethin' like this." Anzu looked up at him in surprise, and he was smiling at her. The teacher walked into the room and started taking role. Jonouchi slouched even further back in his seat.

"Yo Anzu, wake me before th' end of th' period, will ya?" Anzu shook her head.

"Sure. We'll find Yugi at lunch and ask him." Jonouchi grunted an affirmative and started to snore quietly.

THE HORIZONTAL RULE DIDN'T WORK

Yugi winced as he sat up in bed, nursing his ribs. His good eye blinked tiredly, his other swollen shut and bruised.

'_Otou-sama got carried away again last night…'_ He gingerly climbed out of his bed and shuffled over to the attic door. A note was stuck to the top of it. Yugi picked it up and read it silently.

_Runt._

You're too damn frail, you know that? We called you in sick at school today, so don't you dare leave your room, you hear? I've put tape on the door, so I'll know if it's been opened. You stay in your room and don't break anything. We'll discuss further punishment when we get back from the lake.

Yugi's eyes watered. They'd gone to the lake. Without him. Again. Just like always. He sighed, then gasped as the action set the nerves in his ribcage on fire. Carefully, he took another breath, and walked over to his bed. He shook his head as his stomach rumbled, voicing its desire to be fed. That wasn't going to happen. His secret stash of snacks had been used up a few days ago. The pushed his bed aside and took out the strange puzzle again. He'd been trying to solve it all night, but he always got stuck at a certain point. He clicked the pieces into place, contemplating his friends as he did so.

'_I hope they're not worried about me…'_ he thought as he glumly solved the puzzle. Upon reaching the same place as always, he was stuck once again. He grumbled, and set the puzzle on the floor in front of him, just looking at it. Maybe it was magic after all. He'd asked for friends, and now he had two. Jonouchi-san was gruff, and tended to talk with his fists. Anzu-san was kind, and treated him nicely, not yelling at him or hitting him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a piece of the puzzle glint strangely.

'_How can it glint? The window is boarded shut!'_ Yugi picked it up, and tried fitting it into the puzzle. It snapped into place with a soft click. His eyes widened in shock.

'_No way!! It actually fit!!'_ He picked up the puzzle, and started solving it as fast as he could. In a few minutes, he held the final piece of the puzzle with trembling fingers.

"I… I did it… I did it!" He could have danced he was so happy. He had finally solved the puzzle that the strange man had given to him. He slowly fit the remaining piece into its slot, finishing the eye pattern that was on the front. Time seemed to freeze, and a circle of inky darkness spread from under his feet, never stopping as it enveloped the horizon. The very world around him melted into darkness, all traces blotted out by the invading night. From beneath his feet, a dot of light appeared, engraving a ten-point star almost twenty feet in diameter beneath him. He heard the sound of clinking chains from beneath the star, and he looked down. He almost jumped out of his skin when a huge pair of glowing golden eyes looked back into his.

"**I have been waiting, my pharaoh. I knew that you would come for me. You have solved the Millennium Puzzle, correct?"** All Yugi could do was nod, his voice seemed to be unavailable at the moment.

"**I have waited patiently for you, Yugi-dono. Waited all these millennia, waiting for you to release me as you promised you would. Now that you have solved the puzzle, I am allowed to interact with the human world once again. I shall guard you, Yugi-dono."** Yugi swallowed the lump in his throat and forced his pulse down.

"Why _d-d-_do you want to _g-_guard me? _I-I-_I'm not special…"

"**NO!!"** Yugi's heart almost exploded with surprise.

"**You have no idea how special you are, Yugi-dono. What has happened to you? You are a shell of yourself… I am coming out there now, and you _are_ going to tell me what's wrong, Yugi-dono, I beg you to."** The world came back into focus slowly, and Yugi blinked as the dim light from his dying lamp seemed so much brighter than normal. He tried to stand, but he slipped on one of his socks, sending his head on a crash course with the floor. He closed his eyes and waited for the impact…

…

Any second now…

…

'_Why didn't that hurt?'_ Yugi cautiously opened his eyes and looked into a pair of concerned golden ones. This strange man had caught him.

"Are you alright, Yugi-dono?" Yugi nodded, and was carefully set back on his feet by the man. He was wearing a white sleeveless vest, along with baggy white pants. His skin was tanned, and his feet had sandals on them. His sand-colored hair reached past his shoulders, except for two spikes that went straight back, away from his head and parallel to the ground. The shape of an Egyptian ankh was burned into his chest and torso, and his muscles, while not bulging, seemed to radiate power. Those golden eyes scanned the room, burning with a fury that Yugi had only seen on his father's face. He knew firsthand that that look meant someone was going to suffer.

"Who are _y-y-_you?" The stranger went down on one knee in an unmistakable bow.

"I am your guardian, Yugi-dono. I am Exodia, the forbidden one." Yugi's eyes widened.

"_H-H-H_-How are you here? I _th-th-_thought you were _s-s-_stuck in that other place!" The stranger made no move to rise.

"I was, Yugi-dono, but you have weakened the seal, allowing me to manifest myself in this world." The man picked the Millennium Puzzle up from the ground and offered it to Yugi.

"Your Puzzle, my pharaoh." Yugi cautiously took it.

"Why are you in such abhorrent conditions, master?" Exodia asked as he finally rose.

"_Th-Th_-This is _m-­_my room…" Exodia's eyes widened as they fell on his master's face.

"Yugi-dono, you are injured!!" Yugi jumped slightly.

"_H-H-H-_Hai…" He jumped again as golden energy crackled around Exodia's right hand.

"Who…"

"Nani?" Yugi asked nervously, fearing his reaction.

"WHO DID THIS TO YOU!?! SOMEONE HAD THE GALL TO STRIKE YOU!?! **TELL ME WHO THEY ARE!!! RA SO HELP ME, THEY WILL PAY WITH THEIR VERY_ SOULS!!!_**" Exodia's roar of fury made the house shake. Dust was knocked from the ceiling and shelves, and the windows rattled. Yugi murmured something as he looked at the ground.

"I couldn't hear you, Yugi-dono."

"… Otou-sama did it…" Exodia took a deep breath.

"Your father obviously has a death wish, because he'll be meeting Anubis very soon!" Yugi grabbed on to his arm.

"NO!! You can't hurt him!! You can't!" To say Exodia was shocked was the understatement of the year.

"I don't understand, Yugi-dono. Why would you want to protect this man!? After what he's done to you!!" Tears leaked out of Yugi's eyes.

"Please… Please, don't… Promise me you won't…" Exodia's eyes softened as he looked at the small boy before him.

"If that is your wish, Yugi-dono. So it is said, so it shall be done." Yugi smiled shyly up at his guardian.

"Arigato _g-g-_gozaimasu, Exodia-san."

"Think nothing of it, my master. I shall always remain faithful to your wishes. That does _not_, however, change my feelings that those pitiful excuses for humans that call themselves your parents should be wiped from the face of this world." Exodia was seething inside. His master had _ordered_ him not to harm those… those… horrible beings, and he had no choice to obey him. Yugi's eyes drooped, and his legs felt like jelly.

"Sleep, Yugi-dono. Sleep, and I shall watch over you." Yugi's only response was a gigantic yawn as he rubbed his eyes. Exodia laid him in his bed, and pulled the thin blanket over him. He took a seat on the floor by the boy's bed.

'_Sleep well, my master. May you find refuge from the hell of your reality in your dreams.'_

THE HORIZONTAL RULE DIDN'T WORK

Anzu walked up to Jonouchi as fast as she could after school.

"Jonouchi, I couldn't find Yugi anywhere!" Jonouchi spit on the ground.

"Me neither. I checked th' attendance center. Th' lady said he stayed home 'cause he wasn't feelin' well." Anzu sighed with relief.

"So he's only sick then." Jonouchi snorted.

"I doubt it. His old man probably messed him up good. Trust me, I can tell." Anzu swallowed the question she had been about to ask, and leaned against the wall.

"What should we do then?" Jonouchi merely pulled a slip of paper from his pocket.

"It's Yugi's address. I filched it from th' receptionist when she wasn't lookin'" Anzu smacked him over the head lightly.

"You shouldn't steal from office personell!!" she scolded him with a huge grin on her face. Jonouchi smirked.

"Let's pick up yer uncle and head ta Yug's place. We'll surprise him, won't we?" he chuckled as he walked off.

"Wrong way, Jonouchi!" Said boy sweatdropped and turned around.

"I knew that."

THE HORIZONTAL RULE DIDN'T WORK

Hatori set his cup of tea down on the table after taking a nice, long sip of the soothingly warm liquid. Nobody made tea like his little sister. He'd have to come over more often. She all but dragged him inside when he knocked on her door. Exhaling deeply, he looked across the table at her.

"So you think this kid's being abused by his father? That can be a tricky charge to prove, sis." Akemi set her cup down and returned his gaze.

"I know, onii-san, but I really need your help. Actually, _he's_ the one who needs your help. Please, onii-san, you have to." Hatori leaned back in his chair.

"I don't _have_ to do anything." He smirked across the table while Akemi spluttered out a protest.

"I _want_ to do this, dammit. You'd be crazy to think I'd refuse this opportunity, sis." Akemi sighed with relief.

"Don't make me worry like that, Hatori-nii!" Hatori's smirk widened.

"It's what older brothers are for, you know." The door opened, and he heard his niece enter the house.

"Okaa-chan! I'm home! Hi uncle Hatori!" He rose from his seat and walked over to Anzu, who hugged him.

"Hiya squirt. How are you?" He hugged her back and ruffled her hair. She pouted at him.

"You know I don't like that!"

"Which is just why I do it." he stated as he rubbed her head again. Jonouchi carefully followed Anzu into the room. Akemi walked up to him and smiled widely at him.

"Well, you must be Jonouchi-kun! How are you, come in, have a seat! Would you like some cookies? How about some tea?" Jonouchi blinked confusedly and stuttered a reply asking for just some tea, and the four of them sat at the table. Hatori raised one of his eyebrows.

"Where's Yugi? Wasn't he supposed to be coming home with you, Anzu-chan?" Anzu smiled sheepishly.

"He wasn't at school…" Hatori banged his fist on the table, making everyone jump.

"We're going to his house. That's suspicious enough to warrant an exploration, in my opinion." Jonouchi smirked, and slid the purloined address across the table. Hatori picked it up, read it, and smiled broadly.

"I like your style, kid. Let's go." He said standing up from the table, followed by Jonouchi and Anzu.

"I'm coming too!" Akemi said.

"No. Sis, you stay here and get the first aid kit, some food, and a nice hot bath ready. Something tells me the kid's going to need all of those." Hatori walked out of the house at a quick pace, followed by the kids.

Everything seemed normal at the small house… until the door flew in with a footprint in the middle of it.

"I was going to do something a little different, but I guess that works…" Hatori muttered as he walked into the house. Anzu followed the boys in and looked around. It looked like a normal house, with normal photos and normal decorations…

"None of the upstairs rooms have anything in them!!" Jonouchi shouted after some inspection.

"No trace of children downstairs either…" Hatori murmured as he walked up the stairs to the second floor. Anzu followed, and she couldn't get rid of a fear at the back of her mind. A fear for Yugi's safety. Her eyes trailed upwards and she noticed what looked like a trapdoor sealed with duct tape.

"What's up there?" she asked, pointing at the door. Hatori walked over to her.

"Dunno. Probably their attic. Might be worth a look…" he trailed off as he removed the tape and opened the door.

THE HORIZONTAL RULE DIDN'T WORK

Yugi's eyes fluttered as he heard voices below him. Voices? His eyes snapped open completely as he sat up in bed.

"What's wrong, Yugi-dono?" Exodia asked.

"_I-I-I-_It's my _p-p-_parents!! You have to _h-h-_hide! They can't see you or they'll _t-t-_take you away!" Yugi struggled to get out of bed. Exodia looked at him questioningly.

"Are you quite sure that you wish me to hide, master? It is my duty to protect you-"

"Please!! You _have_ to!!" Yugi's eyes were filled with fear as he looked up at his guardian.

"I will obey this once, Yugi-dono, but I shall not make a habit out of watching you get abused!" He simply vanished. Yugi hid the puzzle right as the door to his room burst open.

'_I hope he doesn't hurt me too much!'_ He ducked his head and scooted away from the door.

"_D-D-D-_Don't hurt _m-m-_me again…" He pleaded with his father, not daring to look up.

"Yu… Yugi?" His eyes opened quickly. That wasn't his father's voice! He looked up, and saw…

"Anzu… _W-W-_What are you doing here?" He asked her. Anzu walked over to him with tears streaming down her face.

"We're here to save you, Yugi… We're taking you away from here…" she knelt before him and looked into his amethyst depths.

"You… You mean it?" his voice cracked as he finished the question. Anzu nodded, and the small boy latched himself onto her in a deathgrip, acting as though she was his only lifeline. Anzu hugged him, and murmured sweet nothings in his ear when he started shaking.

"RUNT!!! WHERE ARE YOU!?!" Everyone froze when the commanding roar was heard from the door. It looks like his father was home early after all.

THE HORIZONTAL RULE DIDN'T WORK

Okay, I know I left it at a cliffie! I wanted to, so mleh!

**kaibygirl** – Yes, I use Japanese words and phrases, but I translate them since I didn't always know what they meant either. Just doing my part. Thanks for the support!

**Metanaito**-san – Um, yeah, I noticed that… I'll elaborate and fix that later!

**Molly-chan the Anime/Game fan** – Boy, your username is long! Oo Anyway, thanks for your support, and I'm glad you enjoy it!

**i-love-bakura1489** – Thank you very much, I appreciate your kind words!

**starlitebarking** – Yes, longer chapters longer time between updates. I haven't decided if Yami's going to be in it or not yet, but I would say probably not. Sorry to disappoint anyone in the audience! It shall be explained, I promise!

Not much to translate, but the "-dono" suffix that Exodia addresses Yugi with is reserved for kings and lords. Thank you soooo much, everyone! This was my first YGO story, and I can't believe the warm reception! I'll update once I've cycled through my Naruto stories again… WHY did I start three at once!?!


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